WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former President Carter warned members of Congress on Tuesday that America 's failure to achieve energy independence is threatening the country 's national security , undermining its long-term potential for economic growth and contributing to global warming .

Former President Carter said Tuesday that the United States must end its energy-based vulnerability .

`` Collectively , nothing could be more important than this question of energy , '' Carter said during a rare presidential appearance before a congressional committee .

`` I would guess that our entire status as a leading nation in the world will depend on the role that we play in energy and environment in the future . ''

Carter , who in 1977 famously declared the fight for energy independence to be `` the moral equivalent of war , '' told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that reaching that goal is crucial to ending the country 's `` vulnerability to possible pressures and blackmail . ''

Right now , he noted , `` whether we admit it or not , we are very careful not to aggravate our major oil suppliers . '' Watch Carter talk about energy and security ''

He also asserted that more jobs will be gained than lost by transitioning the country away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner , renewable energy sources .

Carter 's testimony came as Congress continues its consideration of broad-reaching energy legislation with the potential to dramatically tighten emissions controls while reshaping America 's environmental standards .

Among other things , the American Clean Energy and Security Act would create a controversial `` cap-and-trade '' system establishing steadily declining limits on greenhouse gas emissions over the next four decades .

Under the bill , polluters would be able to buy and sell emissions credits while utilities would be required to generate an increasing amount of power from renewable sources .

Congressional attention to the issue is being driven by President Obama , who , like Carter , has placed energy near the top of his domestic agenda .

Carter suggested that energy reform advocates craft an omnibus proposal that could be considered collectively by Congress in order to minimize `` adverse influence of special interest groups '' opposed to any major changes .

Powerful entrenched interests ultimately helped derail his administration 's energy agenda , he said .

Carter noted that his administration nevertheless succeeded in reducing net oil imports by 50 percent , from 8.6 to 4.3 million barrels per day . But after `` a long period of energy complacency , '' he said , daily imports to the United States are now almost 13 million barrels .

America consumes 2.5 times more oil than China and 7.5 times more than India , he noted . On a per capita basis , the United States consumes 12 times more oil than China and 28 times more than India .

`` Although our rich nation can afford these daily purchases , there is little doubt that , in general terms , we are constrained not to alienate our major oil suppliers , which puts a restraint on our nation 's foreign policy , '' Carter said .

The former president reminded committee members that , as part of his drive for renewable energy , he had ordered 32 solar panels to be placed on the roof of the White House in 1979 . But the panels were removed `` almost instantaneously after -LSB- Ronald Reagan -RSB- moved into the White House , with assurances to the American people that such drastic action would no longer be necessary . ''

Sen. John Kerry , D-Massachusetts , opened the hearing by noting that the price of a barrel of oil has fallen $ 90 below the record high hit in summer 2008 . Unfortunately , Kerry added , the `` political will to take decisive action has dissipated '' as each past energy crisis has subsided .

Carter `` had the courage to tell the truth to Americans -LSB- and -RSB- set America on the right path in the 1970s , '' Kerry said . `` Regrettably , the ensuing years saw those efforts unfunded -LSB- and -RSB- stripped away . ''

Richard Nixon was the first president to set a goal of energy independence , Kerry noted . Nixon called for that goal to be reached by 1980 .

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`` Our entire status as a leading nation '' will depend on energy role , ex-president says

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Energy independence would protect national security , create jobs , he claims

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Congress continues to consider broad-reaching energy legislation